Resin base dispersion products and synthetic greases



' cation, but'since abandoned.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 RESIN BASE llISPERSION PRODUCTS AND .srnrnr:r1o GREASES John D. 'Morgan,-'South Orange,-.and Russell E.

Lowe, East Orange, N. J assignor s, bymesne assignments, to CitiesService Research and] Development Company, New York, N. Y., a cor- S PAT poration of New Jersey 1 No Drawing. Application May 4, 1948, e, Serial No. 25,096

'15 Claims. (01. 252,493)

"This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 585,823, filed March 30, 1945, copending at the time of filing of this appli- This invention relates to new compositions of matter which may be employed as substitutes for mineral oils and other liquid lubricants at one end offthescale, or for thickened lubricants in'the nature of greases at the other end, andis more particularly concern'edwith the new compositions suchfand the methods by which they may be prepared. j

We have discovered that a series of new compositions'of matter maybe prepared by the thermal reaction of 'athermosetting plastic such as partiallypolymerized phenol formaldehyde resin, and one 'ormore oily-dike synthetic liquids such as tri-o-cresyl phosphate, tri octyl phosphate, tri butyl phosphate, dibutyl 'phthalate, and others which will be considered hereinafter, and that by an adjustment'of theproportions of resin employed between '2' and 20 percent with a consequent variation of theiiquid phase material between 98 and 80 per cent,-the consistency of the finished product may be varied between that of a th m,'h ighly fluid oil at oneextreme, and a thick gel having the consistency of 'a hard, stifi cup greaseat' the other extreme. x In the reaction it appears thatthe phenol formaldehyde reaches a stage of complete polymerization, and that the resulting'product'is a colloidal dispersion of fully polymerized resin in the liquid, rather than a true chemical composition of two materials. Some evidence of this is the fact that heating of the finished products has no substantialefiect upon their consistencies, or other properties, except insofar as continued heating at very high temperatures appears to evaporate away the liquid phase material leaving a mass of fully polymerized resin, Qontrariwise, however, it may be noted that the finished dispersion products are not compatible with the starting liquids, and this is particularly true of products containing suff cient resin to form true gel structures. Thus the consistency of the final product is largelydetermined in the course of its preparation, and, once established, cannot be changed by the addition of resin or the liqu d phase ingredient. Thus, while we do not know the exact, nature of the final products, we may, for the sake of simplicity, refer to them as colloidal dispersions or gels.

The inert character of a fully polymerized phenol formaldehyde'resiniand its resistance to chemical reaction is well known and fully understood, and this'property of thefplasticmaterial is carried overinto the dispersion products greater or lesser degree, depending upon the p' portions of resin employed. Itwillalsobe not that all of the liquid phase. materials m ned above have good lubricatingproperties, in to low vapor-pressures, are liquids at 0mg; low temperatures, and are free fromgreatche I cal activity, all of whichvproperties are carriefcl over'into the final dispersion products.; Thus the. new compositions are notsubject to oxidationo'r. other chemical-change which would,viit 'yrfl consistencies and other properties, and they ap: pear to have little orv no reaction upon.,copper,, steel, aluminum and other common ,metals ,or construction. A further and highly desirable property of the new dispersion,productsisaheir resistance to dissolution in ordinary solvents; which depends in part upon the amountzot-resin present. Even the softest-of the gels which we, have prepared appears to-be insoluble water, and substantially so in hot gasolinakero sine, and similar solvents, while the gels containing greater percentage of resin and having, con-, sistencies approaching those of ordinarywcup greases, are substantially insoluble in most-of the common aromatic and aliphatic commercial 801-. vents as well as water and the petroleum products mentioned above. 7 1 I All of our new compositions have; proved 1 excellent lubricants; their properties intill-S1178"; spect being largely'dep'endent'upon the particular liquid phase material -.which is employed, The lighter bodied dispersionshave proven to'be'iine substitutes for mineral oils-, while the gels are-well adapted to use as thickened lubricants-in them ture of syntheticgreasesgat both high andlow temperature.- We have, for example, prepared-a thickened lubricant of this' kind having theijconv' sistency of a comparatively soft cup grease, Which:

performed satisfactorily at so low a temperature as F., andwhich did not becomegundul'y fluid-at temperatures of-the order-of 300-400"- R; and other gels have been made which act as exe cellent grease-like lubricants under heavy con-- tinuous loads at temperature of above,f400--F: Even at these and higher temperatures'thexgels remained remarkably permanent incha'racte1' showing no tendency towards separation in a. manner comparable to the bleeding iofea 'soap grease. .Thus the gels have been subjecteda'to temperatures of theorder of 600 F. for-short periods without loss of lubricating-value'other thanthat resulting from the evaporation oi' the liquid phase material, and without showing"ahy tendency towards" a" breaking down of th'gti structure in a manner comparable to the burning of a. conventional soap grease when it is sub- Jected to high temperatures.

The ful linature of 'the-invention and the-man ner in which 'it may be carried outiwill be more.

apparent from consideration of the following ex-. amples of specific products which we have preweight formaldehyde in the proportions of one pared. .1

Example 1 One composition embodying the invention,

having the nature of a geL. whichchasproven particularly useful as a grease, substitute, has

the following composition:

Per cent by weight Phenol formaldehyde resin 11 Tri octyl phosphate a- 89 eil identfas. the temperature rose until the material (still inn-liquid state) reached a condition of (a plete*opacity; During the first part of the'hea'ting; operation*-acetone was-driven ofi; after which? there wasa heavy evolution of formaldehydevapor that' droppedmarkedly as the t erjnperatureof the liquid approached 450 hat'latter-temperature a sudden reaction'occurred: infwhich the entire body of ''material went over almost instantlyfrom an opaque liquid to as hick, stiff-gel:

-rfi carrymg out'th foregoihgreation we have fur'idthat when thestarting-solution is brought qiiickli 'fronrfordinary temperatures to gelation, it: is essential to-maintain" constant and vigorous agitationi -=order to prevent burning 'ofthe fsinous'ilm'a tter.-=' Under such circumstances we prefer 'to stop heating, and particularly to stop ag'itatii'in;asv soon asgelation occurs for we have fdundi that continued agitation tendsto reduce the. toughnessof the final. product. When the reaction is carried" out ata slower rate, however, th'e liouid being-brought from room temperature to gelation by: a constant and comparatively slow ri'sing teninerature, agitation may be done away withientirely and-wefind that the finished product i'sMully as good as; that produced by quick reaction; It should-al'so-be noted that the tem notprecisely determinatefor we havefound both "was' notedj which became increasingly th'ef cloudingpoint andthe gelationpoint to vary in the-preparation of gels of" the same starting materials: In general, however; we have noted that clouding usually ap ears at some temperatiir tietween 410 and 430-'F-., and that gelation occurs ata temperature which is about 30 above the point: of firstclouding orhazing;

r The char'acter of'the phenolic resin which is employed in making the foregoing product, and othersfwhich will Iaterbe'described, appears to her-highly critical to the formation of a satisfactory-dispersion product. We have found, for example;ithat. the rstarting material must not have; beenqcarried much; beyond what is comrngnlggcalled-ffirst stage polymerization." and catalyst.-

mol of phenolto about one and one-half mols offformaldehyde are mixed in the presence of a gels with'thee various plasticizers used. The mixture is then heated at reflux temperatures at atmospheric. pressure for a period of about two hoursrin'order to induce partial polymerization.

The partially polymerized resin is then dehydrated un'der reduced pressures, of the order 01' 25 mm. of mercury absolute, in a bath having a temperature; of about-2.50 until. the tempera- 1311126,": of; .theresin i rises to about t0;- 1-.80;E; This-will: ordinarilytake: about. 20 1 minutes. The dehydrated resin is then;dissolvedin-aoetona and; addedto: the plasticizen. ,suclr. as,-tri. octyl phosphate. l

The example: product atthercompletion of. the gelation-reaction: was ruddy brown in: color, was, largely-opaque,- andhad/a rubber-likeyconsist ency; :none. ofwhichpropertieschanged to; any

substantial' degree duringcooling. to roomi tern.-

perature. There is considerable evidence-t0 sup-i port our belief that the.-foregoingthermal;treatment results in a complete, polymerization; of the resin, and: its colloidal dispersion tlimugl'iout the liquid phase; material. In.- those: cases. inwwhich we intend, to usetheproduct as ahightemperaH tum-thickened lubricantshowever, or under other conditions=-where. further chemical change might be undesirable; we:prefer-..-tog cure, the gel for; a period of from one. to. four;- hours at; a t empera ture-of about 3503- 1. This after-treatment seems to, assure: what wethink;- is complete polymeriza: tion'of all oftthe. resin,;0.r. at,.lea;st stabilizes, the resin; to-such: anextent. that further polymerlzation-wilLnot take place-in the dispersion product, as; well as --the elimination at all free formalden hydeand'solvents, andait hasthe further. efi'ect of increasing the-toughness oiv the productto some, extent and .of materially, clarifying its color. In: this. connection :we have foundv thatlong; continued. heating at temperatures ranging from 250 350? F.: is'particularly effective inproducing' a, clear andLtransparentgel, rather: than amud (W or opaque one.

,7 The finished gel, and thi appears to. be .true, regardless, of .whether it: has been subjected to heat curing or not, is-a stiff and tough. gelhaving considerable elasticity, is of. uniformcohsistencY throughout, and is completely-lacking the soft, plastic, inelastic. properties which characterize agrease and make it easy. to. spread over bearing surfaces. These. objectionslmay readily be oven come. by subjectingthe glel to-.mechanical working in-a colloid or orifice. mill, or in any other. suitable way,.for a. sufficlent length of. time. to reduce. itto a. smooth. inelastic, and. completely. plastic. prod.- uct, having an A. S..T. M. penetrationof aboutBflO the. general. consistency of a soft cup grease. Y The. greaseelike properties of. the. product have been tested in generalaecordancawith procedures laid-down in Army-Navy specification A.- N. G;. 8A. T-Ihus. it; shows. a separation; of: only-- 2.4. per cent. nd an evaporationqloss of: about 01911 per cent. aiterheing. heidxior a period. of fill hours-at: a

5 12374 5 6 temperature b: 212 F: under thecon'ditions pre service conditions, and a quickly destmyed by sn15d'--'-in "the-- foregoing specifioatiom -Thet i h te pe atures e erated the otor spread =and high temperature resisting cha'racwindin sand bea in s. 1 The s t eticeo duct teristicsof the product were tested by'heannga has and p n fl esat thickened small gob'otitbna watch glass in" an'oveh 6 lubricant f rth arin of'high vspe yr J b r m m f for about u instruments, as well as in more prosaic types '01 At the end of that-time the gob of synthetic grease SQIQYi hadspread only" slightly'fandjwas still a highly u -g un'ctuous'body having excellent lubricating prop- H I H eitiesl By wayof contrast it may be-noted'that @110 I Avery t g and 11 t i a similar 'test'of a" lithium 'base'grease which figt' h ymg j t meetsthe requirements of A. N. G. 3A, resulted :in formulaf a a-l re'ading of theimaterial over and under'the watch glass, andin" ssubstan'tial destruction as a lubricant. I

'I'he'low temperature characteristics'of theeX- v I u v v v v v "'1' "ample gelhave also proved to be excellent. In a ":Ill preparingthis product weeniployd a; rs

torque test whichwas made in accordan'ce with solution containing70 cent by- 'weight-of A; N. G. 3A we found that the time required'to phenol formaldehyde resin'dis's'olved in str' revolve a shaft lubricated with our-synthetic acetone. [Two grams 'oi this resin solutio Weife grease under an ap'pliedto'rque. of 2000 gram cm. diss lved i l bd t 5Q' ig famsif oi"tfi tifl 1 -at.a-,-temperature of 78 F. was somewhat less ,p ate, and the mixture heated to' a'n lltltr'iatte: than one second. In this connection it may 'be temperature of 460 F. 'fl he starting product,

"noted that the precise-time has not been given which was of a deen'lemon color,fgave no est-- because-the revolution the shaft started and 5 tleno eof hazing during the entire heating opera ended: Soquickly that we were unableto measure me n was ther final lation' reaction.

it with. a standards'topwatch. Various other Tf 'ejre was'; however; a'verygradualdeepenin tests towhich the material has been put indicate :colorj between about 400an'd 9;F- to i air .that it :is.entirelysuitable;as a grease at tem- Burgundy red. This liquidwasfcooledfto robin:

"peratures ranging downito -.'70- F.

.oxidation,- and neitherburnsnor supports com change its pro ert e Thfi temperature without showing aiiy evidence "of 4 We: have demonstrated y aotued ge as well change I or character, '1 and 1 wa subsequently as byi-Hofima'n bomb-{tests .thatvthe "product is h'atefq forsome '70 Ho rs atat m rat of com lete y" e "from a y. tendency towards abodtfj250 aeain without u t n, fa rswhich a e itpa cu a ythin, oily like liquid having a vis osity ni at in-h u bri at W K- In I greater than that of tri octyl' ohosbhate a itfi,

addition, he fi ed rm i l l have and of course, somewhat less than that of the substantially no tendency :to chemical reaction. resin t i L n s q e t p negqengnt subitdoes not attack, copper; steel, aluminum,

or the alloys of thesetal 9 s it i 40 ticularly useful; in the low"t pera y evidence of n rnal chemical change when where mineral oils tendtothlcken apnreoiably. subjected to very high temperatures of the order v? '2 I :Qf ;600 to 800 F. even 'wheng subjected to high 3 v -rE W7 71P' 5; pre r 1 'iA'third example composition "embodying the z ifl further property particular utility .1 in -a lubricant is the comparatiye insolubility of 1 our gel in a wide variety'ofcommercial solvents.

nnoi forni ideny v octyl phosphat" Th e starting solut1on'of -this dispersion con- We have noted hereinbefore that the. conisisfi d O 01 mS 'of th-70 1561cent 'iesin so- [-sistency of the gel remains remarkably constant 11 9 e e to'in E mp e overa .wide range of temperature variation. ,In f'this connection it should benoted that the 551' ,cons i'stency, once established by the formation of {the gel; cannot be reduced by the addition oimore dissolved inabout Upon the heat- (tn octyl phosphate, or increasedby the mixing {C nt n e h ro di u' er floo i in of additional resin solution, ior'it is not com jli l quidbecame slig t y l q e t a o i- .patiblewi'th these corniiounds. Theaddltion of eratiire of' about 450 h; jnemnhey change-e eitherpf-the's'e starting ingredients tothe finished e h oo or h r et ropwrred duri he nn'al "productjmerely resultsi'na. two-phase material he t n of the'solutlonjto n-o mp r of'whi'ch oneis the'gelandztheothe'r theadded gt r of @055; The roqiict rtri sireacno 'was a nt]; f H I of";a 'twophase nature containing heavy' flocks Bywayof practicartesti we have found the egan'd clear tri olctyl phosph t t gt x mp e o e n ex'oellentfgreaselike lubricant" room temperature; and s'ub's'e'fiuent' curin'g' at I at verylow'temperatures"and'anability to stand Continued heating for some-6 hou at ,"upj under heavyjload or' fai'rly long'periodsjoabout forf the ball b earingsoi an electric. motor under for about-seven hours, 'th enroduct 'was servicejconditions'which' called for quick starting converted to a single phase liquidoi highopac y.

1'at. rnaxirnum1 temperaturesofftheorder oi 350 color of the liquid without any otheranbarent It may be mtea py wayfofgc ritrast,"that a change. The final product was a thick and vishighly specializedlithium"greasemeeting. all of oous'liquid of high oilinesscharacteristics, which thefrequirements; of -A'.-,N. G. 3A; proved to be has-proven suitable. for. use asa-a substitut'elfor incapable of performing; underthese rigorous 7 veryrthick-mineral oils. H. iv I l long canti-ru ed heatpuring afl r v "'Efdifipl v i l A disprsion' 'prediict having a deflni-te gel structure and a viscositycomparable to -that f. afieitremelfso'ffl-cuprgrease, has the following roman:-

Per cent by'w'eig'ht Phenol Iormaldehydemesim; 7.7 Tri octyl phosphate 92.3 L Tlie' aitirig liquid- "fi om'which"this product "unprepared, consisted of 6 grams of the '7O per cent resin solution to which reference has been fnhad be'foreiand 50 grams of tri octyl phosphate. Ihirsolutiomwhichwas of a clear orangecoior "atthestart, began'to show signs or hazing at a MQP QWP :9?: 'P9 i ....5 9 and P 9 gpletelycopaque f at 150? ;F.-'-biit showed no finfther arra g in;- th p ai heating ioien ummate'ieinrpei-ature -of 46;); F; at 'which po'int the" product wgsstiil velsidefl'n'itely liquid injcharacter. -T-Iliion 9 9E115;- tqiob i te perature asoft germs forme yhichgppon -reheating 'd'i'd nbt return' t IIiciiiid state. 7 Under long continued curing" at' maveriage temperature-0i 2 50" the gel. showdi'no 'ge pfconsistency; butremained comparable gin-chl raoter to gang ene. 'It'was-noted, However; that fthe heat curing producedva material i niirove'ment in edl'or; the flnal pro'ductibeiiig a aqlearglglurgundyred. I v v I a v, i

The final fiispers ibns bi'o dubt bf tliis i'eaction ry'j'soft gndplastic'el'which'wasbafely gseli ustain'in g. 5: Like 'the' other di'spe'rsionslf al- 'scfibed, itIproved-tohave excellentl'ub'riv ellies;fanjd was T war adapted for use as a ed-lubricant. I

' greement .Y b l tee-"warns e has' th-iollowing formula:

This compssinswwas' preparedcb :the mermai reaction of lo grams of a solution containing 80 fine-f ees? swarm oi phenol formaldehyde resin fidissaivedinethyi' alcohol""afigiaeetoiie, and lso was clear -at a temperature of about 190} F., showed si s oi hazing-at'a temperature of 410 F.

g and-conjiplete gelation occurred at about 446 B.

The resulting hig'hly; elastic -and rubber ylike g'ei howed 110, marked change'} ian sappreciable clariiflcation -of its colon, This reduced-fie Per cent by weight nter ene:

have iound -however, that we can prepare a similar -seriesof dispersionwproducts in which trt-o-cresyl phosphate-isemployed as the-liquid phase ingredient;- and which may-be varied -in consistency in-the-courseof\preparation by;an adjustmentof theresincontent-between 2, and '20 'per-cent"by weight; with a concomitant variation :of the 'tri -o-cresyl phosphate-content between :98 -and-80- percent. 1 A-highly useful greaselikei lubricant has -been preparedy for-example, by heating about 10 grams of the 80 percentwphenol iormaldehyde solution which has alreadybeen de- "scribed; an'd some gramsoi-tri-o-cresylaphosrphate, :to *an ultimate temperature of xbetween 440 and 460 F. during which the solution first clouded and then "suddenly gelled," all in accordance with the: proce'dure heretofore 1 described m connection with thetri octyl" phosphate example compositions. Thisfrubber'yxgehupon mechanical wbrking'wasbroken down-to a plastic mass having a'II' AQ SI-T. M: value of "about 300, whiohthas *provedto "be" an excellent lubricant for" thesball bearings l of' special high speed electric motors :where operating temperatures range up 't4: ei00 F. Theperiormance of this gel-as a' hightem- 'peraturegrease "is "somewhat'b'etter than that :or the'ftri o'ctyl phospha'te gel described-- in Example 1, while its low" temperature" characteristicsam notquite'so g'ood. -In'thislatterconnection, however, it should be' noted -th'at the 'gelprovedtobe a satisfactory lubricant at an temperatures down to "-20 R; which is of course weuseww' the oper'ajti'rig temperatures noi' m'ally encountered in conventional lubrication service. Itis also notehigh resin content, aeparticuiariy resistant to and substantially all at l the "commercially" used aIiphatiand aromatic-solvents.

Ezampl? v Other-dispersions have -been prepared' rrom phenolic resin as heretofore described, -and' 'dissowed-m acetone; 01 in acetone "ethyl EJ001101, in which tri butyl phosphate and di b'lityl iihthalate-havebe'en used respectively as the liquid phae proper'tiesupon 2 0 F; other-than 1 --product, as-was trueof lthe first of- -the desci'ibed 1 example compositions; was-entirely too? stiffand -co heren t both atthe' end or gelation,' and after heat curing to be-usedasa grease, butjwas .readily -reduced to'a plastic mass by mechanical working ina colloid mill. 1 The resulting worked 'product had the-"consistency of a --comparativ'ely -heavycup greaser and proved upon test, to have excel-lent propertiesas a hightemperature lubriclu'de a" single liquid phase ingredient, namely,

-ticularly;;useful-as a grease substitute inbearings having frlativelyreat clearances, 'of the k'ind'in the era/mama octyl phosphate as the liqiiid bl ia'sniateiialj We ingredients. 'Inbothbases we have prepared-a seriesof dispersions containing from-about Zto about 20 percent by weight ofthe resinous'matter, with quantities or tri b'utyI phosphateordi-butyl' "ph'thalate' varying'between 98 and 80 per-Cent by weight of the" whole mixture. Herea'gain the 1 dispersions' contaiiiing' up to about 5 per cent bf fperatures, while-those vhaving more thanj" per f cent-oi resin took on'the nature of.'gels""which "varied inconsistency between anextremely soft "and barely self supp'orting mass and'a' hard and prov'en to beiexcellent lubricants 'over'wide ranges of temperature change and all were adaptedto use in 'solving'special lubrication problems.

the resinous matter remained liquid atall temstifi" cupg'rease. A110: these products have It will be noted thatthe several classesroi resin base' gels which have I been described each intri-o-cresyl phosphate or tri octyl phosphatepor tri butyl phosphate,' or' di" butyl phthalate. We have found, however, that other dispersions may be prepared in which th'e'se "compounds" represent the major liquid phase ingredient towhicii'minjor quantitiesof various additionagentsmay be "added 'to'-* varyf' the properties of *the'-' finished 1 products. "*We" have found, fbrexamplefthatwe ate. di-2 thyl 'hexyl. phthalate, tri, ethylene glycol:-di-2=ethyl hexoatc, tri ethylene-glycol d1; 2-ethyl butyratefand others, to frm the liquid phase of a large number :of dispersion products. of both liquid and'gel character, all of which havev desirable properties for meeting special problems; It may-be noted byway of example, that the addition of any one ofthese named minor ingredients'to' the describedtri-o-cresyl phosphate example composition produced a gel having somewhat better low temperature characteristics thanthoseof the straight tri-o-cresyl gel, while the vapor pressure of the product isnot materially increased so that its high temperature character-. istics remain verygood It is also important to note as ageneral-rule', that these and other addition agents must be incorporated in the dispersion products'during the course of their preparation, and this is particularly true of the,,= .ls which appear to be less compatible with addition agents thando the liquid dispersion products.

We have found that a great number of useful dispersion products may be prepared containing from about 2' to about 20 per cent by weight-of resin in the various named liquid phase ingredients. The gels containing the higher'fconcentrations' ofresin approaching the 20 per cent limit become extremely stiff and hard, and begin to take on a brittle nature, which tends to limit their utility as lubricants. We have further found, however, that additional dispersions may be prepared containing up to about 35-40 per cent of resin depending upon the liquid phase ingredient, and while we know of no specific use to which these high resin bearing products may be put, we call attention to their existence and to the fact that they liewithin the purview of our invention.

The dispersion products have been described herein as new compositions of matter, which we believe them to be, and also with particular reference to their utility as lubricants both of the oil and grease type under operating conditions which are far beyond the capabilities of mineral and other oils and of commercial soap greases.

Having described our invention in its preferred aspects and illustrated it by way of specific examples, what we claim as new and useful is:

1. A new composition of matter comprising a dispersion of from about 2 to about 20 per cent by weight of a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin in from about 98 to about 80 per cent by weightof a liquid chosen from the group consisting of tri-o-cresyl phosphate, tri octyl phosphate and tri butyl phosphate, the resin having been substantially fully thermoset while dispersed in the said liquid.

2. A new composition of matter comprising a dispersion of from about 2 to about 20 per cent by weight of a thermo-setting phenol formaldehyde resin in from about 98 to about 80 per cent by weight of tri-o-cresyl phosphate, the resin having been substantially fully thermoset while dispersed in the tri-o-cresylphosphate.

3. A new composition of matter comprising a gel of about 17 per cent by weight of a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin in about 83 per cent by weight of tri-o-cresyl phosphate, the resin having been substantially fully thermoset while dispersed in the tri-o-cresyl phosphate.

4. A new composition of matter comprising a dispersion of from about 2 to about 20 per cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde resin in from about 98 to about 80 per cent by weight of tri octyl phosphate, the resin having been substanl0 tially fully thermoset while dispersed in the I trioctyl'phosphate. v z 5. A new compositionof matte'ricompr' ing.

Q gel, of from about toYaboutZO per cen t byweight of a thermo-setting phenol formaldehyde resin in from about 95 to about. SQper cent by weight persed in the tri octylphosphate.

of tri-o-cresyl I phosphate, the resin having been substantially fully thermoset while the tri-o-cresyl phosphate g 1 6. A new composition of m 'tt'en comprising' "a gel of about 11 per centby weightfofffphenol formaldehyde resin 1 in "about' 189 '{per cent" by; weight of tri-octyl phosphate, the emnant: been substantially fullythermoset while'dispe sed in the tri octyl phosphate. {,I I ,7.A new compositionof atter'co gel of about 14 per; centby weightof ph nol formaldehyde resin;infgabout iifi per at by", weight of tri octyl phosphate the res'mhav ng' beensubstantially, 'fuIIyLtherm s'et while ]--8I; A- -'new compositionfotmatte pri g a dispersion of from about 2 tie-about per. cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde resin in .filim about 98 to about 8Q per cent by weig'htldffltii butyl ph0sphate, ',the resin havmg'ib'e a substan:

tially fully thermoset butyl phosphate.

9. A thickened lubricant in which the major ei l s er'sea; is the??? ingredient is a gel prepared by the thermo-setting of from about 2 to about 20 per cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde resin which has not been polymerized substantially beyond the A stage, and which contains formaldehyde in excess of a one to one molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol, in from about 98to per cent by weight of a liquid chosen from the group consisting of tri-o-cresyl phosphate, tri octyl phosphate, and tri butyl phosphate. I

10. The method of preparing a colloidal disperson of a synthetic resin which comprises heating a solution of from 2 to 20 per cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde resin which has not been polymerized substantially beyond the A stage and which contains formaldehyde in excess of a one to one molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol, and from 98 to 80 per cent by weight of a liquid chosen from the group consisting of trio-cresyl phosphate, tri octyl phosphate, and tri butyl phosphate, to a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce gelation.

11. The method of preparing a resin basegel which comprises heating a'solution of from 5 to 20 per cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde resin which has not been polymerized [substantially beyond the A stage and which contains formaldehyde in excess of a one to one molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol and from to 80 per cent by weight of a liquid chosen from the group consisting of tri-o-cresyl phosphate, tri

octyl phosphate, and tri butyl phosphate. to a;

temperature and for atime such as to cause substantially complete thermo-se'tting of such resin.

The method of preparing a resin base gel which comprises heating a solution of from 5 to 20 per cent by weight of phenol formaldehyde and a mixture of acetone and ethyl alcohol, and from 95 to 80 per cent by weight of a liquid chosen from the group consisting of tri- 

1. A NEW COMPOSITION OF MATTER COMPRISING A DISPERSION OF FROM ABOUT 2 TO ABOUT 20 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF A THERMOSETTING PHENOL FORMALDEHYDE RESIN IN FROM ABOUT 98 TO ABOUT 80 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF A LIQUID CHOSEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TRI-O-CRESYL PHOSPHATE, TRI OCTYL PHOSPHATE AND TRI BUTYL PHOSPHATE, THE RESIN HAVING BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY FULLY THERMOSET WHILE DISPERSED IN THE SAID LIQUID. 